Paranormal fear is what makes Hollywood go around this November, it seems. Starting off with “The Fourth Kind” and finishing with “Paranormal Activity”, November 2009 also just happens to see one of the biggest movie releases ever: “2012”. The common denominator? All of these films use topics that could be described as paranormal, esoteric or new age and twist them into a fearful plot. “Fear the weird” seems to be the topic not just of this Halloween, but the month of November.

First to be released was “The Fourth Kind”. Pretending it is the true story of Alaska psychiatrist Abigail Tyler, who uncovers a series of alien abductions in her hometown, leading to the death of her husband and disappearance of her daughter, the film uses the same ploy as “The Blair Witch Project”: pretending some of the characters are real and that genuine footage is used. In truth, nothing of the movie is genuine. Though some claimed abductees have argued that the movie is representative of their trauma, fact of the matter is that none of those have emerged from a hypnotic session in near-total paralysis because of floating above their bed while reliving their abduction experience. Or kill their entire family before turning the gun on themselves. Or other things best not divulged in the interest of not spoiling the plot of this movie too much. But it is clear that the movie is quite visibly a mixture of the more traumatic abduction stories, as principally promoted by Budd Hopkins and Whitley Strieber, with a mixture of a Twin Peaks setting and a Sitchin-esk fascination with the Sumerian language. As one commentator on the movie noted: not even the landscape around Nome, Alaska as depicted in the movie resembles the real, flat setting of the small town. Nor do many – if any – claimed abductees speak entire Sumerian sentences over again.

The last fear movie to be released in November will be “Paranormal Activity”, whose trailer uses the reaction of a crowd called in for a pre-release screening to show how truly horrifying the movie seems to be. In this case, the premise seems to hinge on the notion that even your bedroom is not safe from paranormal intruders, obviously set out to turn peaceful dreams and lovemaking into a worse than worst nightmare. You are not safe anywhere from fearful intrusions, for, indeed, “The Fourth Kind” equally identifies the bedroom as the most unsafe place of the house. “Be afraid. Be very afraid.”

Caught in between both major releases is “2012”, which is riding high on the fear connected to the 2012 phenomenon. Will the world end? It’s a question that is beginning to weigh heavy on the global mind. In the run-up to the movie release, the Discovery Channel devoted an entire weekend to the question whether 2012 signalled the apocalypse. Indeed, I was told how an Italian ten year old schoolgirl two weeks ago asked her mother whether it was true that in three years’ time, everyone was going to die. The motorway billboards in Los Angeles are advertising the movie 2012 and question whether we are ready… to die. Ten years after the apocalyptic craze created around the solar eclipse of August 11, 1999 that was mentioned by the 16th century French alchemist Nostradamus, the world is going gaga over December 21, 2012, the end date of the Mayan Long Count Calendar.

Will the world end in 2012? The short answer is a simple no. The Maya have never claimed the world would end in 2012. They “merely” used a calendar – the so-called Long Count – which ticks over on December 21, 2012. It is indeed true that this period of time – rather than the exact date itself – was seen as a period of change, but there is no indication whatsoever that this change is as catastrophic as 2012 makes it out to be. For in the movie “2012”, it is clear that the end of the world is literally going to happen, including gigantic tsunamis and terrible earthquakes.

I enjoyed “Independence Day” – from the same director as “2012”. Why? Because no-one left “Independence Day” thinking this was genuine. But the entire premise upon which the promotion of 2012 is released – if not based – is that it is a “fact” that the “Mayans predicted it”. In truth, the Mayans predicted very little about 2012. They identified a calendar date and linked it with change. That is all. And when one reads the fine print of the Mayan cosmology, it is clear that the prophesized change was sociological, not geological.

Three movies, and three times fear-mongering. Geoff Stray, one of the foremost authors and followers of the 2012 phenomenon, argues that nothing in the Mayan cosmology is about the end of the world. His conclusion is diagonally against the beliefs of Belgian author Patrick Geryl, who is a veritable prophet of doom. In November 2008, Geryl literally wagged his finger in front of my nose, stating it was at my own peril not to believe him, as he has always been proven to be right about these matters.

Geryl follows in the footsteps of the Christian apocalyptic doomsayers. His prophecy of doom – like Strieber’s – is eagerly picked up by Hollywood, who use it for fear-mongering science fiction movies. That is in itself nothing too bad. The problem I personally have is that the moviemakers falsely claim it is all “true”. The truth is that nothing about the 2012 phenomenon argues what is depicted in the movie; the same applies to “The Fourth Kind”. And though some will have experienced traumatic paranormal activity in the bedroom, it is equally clear that a lot – in fact most – paranormal activity is totally benign.

Christians take to the street as soon as someone dares to imply that Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ might have been married. And their irk is given front page news. But the alternative community seems to think it is alright as to what is happening this November. They somehow feel “proud” that Hollywood has devoted attention to these phenomena, and seem to think that the fact it is completely over the top fear-mongering, is a small price to pay for the exposure they receive. That, alas, is in my book not good enough. Furthermore, no-one of the alternative community is interviewed to discuss matters such as 2012. Indeed, the principle interviewees in the major newspapers are the sceptics: those who believe there is nothing immaterial to this universe. Who completely trash everything to do with 2012. Or alien abductions. Or paranormal activity. One thus gets the impression, from leading newspapers, that the entire alternative community embraces 2012 apocalyptic preaching. That is simply not the case.

Some might argue that all of this fear-mongering is part of a wider conspiracy, to create fear. Equally, some conspiracy writers seem to claim there is another purpose to these movies, specifically “preparation”: that somehow, the public is sensitized for a major revelation. It rides high on that decade-long ambition that somehow there is sufficient evidence that ET is real and that the American president should acknowledge their existence.

I wish such thinkers well. But in the meantime, let us see what these movies are definitely doing: they are, whether by accident, design or conspiracy, painting everything that is outside of the ordinary in the most negative and fearful daylight that could possibly be. That is sad. That should be a serious concern. And, specifically, they ride high on bogus footage and claims about alien abductions and the 2012 phenomenon, and, indeed, Mayan cosmology. That should be a serious concern.

Frankly, I don't think any of the movies mentioned here are all that important, nor do they fortell some sociological tsunami that Joe Sixpack gives a hoot about the Mayans or alien abductions. They are mindless entertainment, (especially 2012, which by the way has nothing to do with Strieber's book) and should be treated as such.

Strieber has gone on record a number of times stating emphatically that he does not believe anything will happen in 2012, only that it may be a time of change or transition. Could we, at any moment, be smooshed like bugs on a windshield from some cosmic event? Sure. Will that be more likely after 2012? Nah, we won't see it coming until it's too late anyway.

I disagree. When busses in major towns carry advertisement both for 2012 and The Fourth Kind, it is clear that these movies are part of our society; they are, pure and simple, mainstream. That makes them important. Full stop.

I agree the 2012 movie - this one - has nothing to do with Strieber; I don't make that argument, either, though I do believe Strieber's 2012 horror book is being made into a proper movie all of its own too.

Sure these things are part of our culture. But to the extent that people have deeper understanding of it, they are about the same level of your average horror movie.

Or if you prefer, about the same level as your average science fiction movie. The vast majority of science fiction viewere doesn't care about the science. Most would not understand the science if they tried.

As for Hollywood, it is business and that's pretty much the end of it for them.

Thanks for some very sobering observations on 2012 There is no question that the year 2012 has become a very compelling major event. What exactly is going to happen on that day ? No one really knows. That is such a sobering and comforting fact, no one really knows. What we do know is that it has instilled fear on the average person fomenting the 2012 meme. I hear someone from the media remark that its the media causing all this. What an odd comment to make don't you think ? Overnight we have a number of individuals who have become authorities on this subject. I won't put myself on that category as I have a general interest in most things. Returning to 2012 let me just stick to some of the more common facts. Facts that can be validated about the mayans. Their calendar foretells of a change on 21 December 2012 and it makes this claims authoritatively because the calendar began its measurement on 3114 BC and pointed to an actual nuts and bolts events which would occur in our skies on this said date. So this change is verifiable there can be no arguments about this. And that is that the positions between our planet and it's neighbors in our galaxy will have this unusual alignment with the Milky Way more exactly in it's nuclear bulge. That is what the calendar presents with great accuracy. It asserts that these conditions are favorable to a change. The actually change itself are subject to human interpretation depending on what camp you are sitting and how much white noise you want to throw into the pot because clearly we do not know, only guess. That's all that we can glean from this current information if we want only clean data.

When I say clean data it is by not reusing information that has already refuted by newer evidence but still reintroduced in new clothes providing us with stale information. Let's call this the Paradigm Shift
syndrome. Our refusal to change and resistance to new evidence. Believe me there is a lot of that around with researchers still using old information. Like refried beans all this current scare is propelled by just a lot of media money making wind and inaccurate information. The Mayan calendar was drawn to our attention for its impressive accuracy in time keeping. Our assumption that we were far more superior than these ancient people was thrown out on its ear. This is not the first time this has happen thanks to our book burning ancestors. Without going to much overboard and still remaining within the confines of common sense. At best I can only guess that what the Mayan have said is that on the 21 December 2012 give or take a hundred years either way, make conditions right for change. Like anyone else I can only guess what these conditions are but I in my case I would be leaning towards an optimistic outcome. Not because I have my head in the sand but that is on the present data.

If you want to investigate the profile on the doom-sayers it would be wise to read some of Stan Grof 's work on birth perinatal matrices, anything on auto eroticism or the inquisition. The hidden proclivities and the dark shadow of man. A genuine interest in the Maya will lead you to John Major Jenkins who deals only with facts which can be presented or Geoff Stray's tireless research on this matter. The Vedic Mantra's claims that we are currently on Kali Yuga age and it too predicts a major upheaval for us. Fortunately that change wont be here for at least 427,000 years and so its a bit too far away to be followed by the media. My greatest fear at the moment is the train fares are going up again.

For one thing, the alignment with the galactic equator is not precise, and not precisely on that day.

For another, we should be getting ready for the next end of the world after 2012.

And honestly I don't see people developing an anxiety over this. Nobody is scared, because nobody really believes this.

It is only compelling for the few who make it their goal to be compelled.

But let me put aside the cruel reality that this prediction is nonsense. Let me go with the assumption that there is something to it.

Then the average person on the street still won't be concerned. You tell them that their kid has been exposed to H1N1 and is not allowed to go to school, to risky. Do the parents now keep the kid out of circulation? No they don't.

As another example, take eating too much sugar, too much fat, too many calories. It is painfully obvious that this is deadly. But health professionals suffer from obesity just as much as everyone else. It is not that they should know better, they do know better, and still they don't care.

So don't develop illusions that any significant number of people take something as abstract as the 2012 concerns seriously.

- Maya calendar is not ending but simply has a bigger turnover
ref: http://www.mauricecotterell.com/2012_1.html
quote "The period 1,872,000 cannot therefore represent a cycle or the ‘end of a cycle’. At best it can only be considered to be 13/20ths of the Pictun, the next largest period."

- Terrence McKenna - and his epic TimeWaveZero talks of a turnover as well I believe, not an end

- Hopi, Mayan, Buddhist, Christian traditions have all their 'versions' of the world being destroyed by different types of cataclysm i.e. the elements ~ water ~ fire ~ wind ~ earth
Some of them DO say that 2012 is the !beginning! of this next tribulation, rapture, cycle...

- The conspiracy theorists since long collect data on HUMAN MADE EXTINCTION PLANS, not natural ones, since the militaries of the world are able to trigger quakes, huricanes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and all other kinds of devastating circumstances.
Underground bases are being built, since long, a programm to colonize the Mars is long under-way and could actually be already since 40 years passed after the moon landing.
The globalists want population reduction to 500million people and all those maybe not natural new killer-diseases could be one of many approaches to their goal. Vaccinations and GMO food burn the candle from the other side and will render humans DNA corrupt and reduce birth rates and cause more genetic defects. So you become infertile and can't have children and might even be forbidden in the future if your DNA is crapped up. See Gattaca, Children of Men, Minority Report, Babylon A.D. et al

- Some spiritual ambassadors (

) who are in contact with the elders of one or another tradition give some credence to the earth's tectonic plates displacement / pole-shiting theory which was found by 1956 scientist Professor Charles H. Hapgood of Keene College in New Hampshire - actually referenced by the 2012 movie I just saw and they claim Einstein even supported this theory.

- then delving into some more new age stuff, it is said here: http://spiritlibrary.com/earth-keeper/ea...
that, the crystal core of Earth and some 12 major crystals on the surface placed for example at Mt. Shasta, Tiajuanaco-Lake, or in Bimini, will reboot the computer of Earth on 21-12-2012 and will start the rise into 4th & 5th dimension with all it's inhabitants (which means nothing more than our latent psychic skills will rise, the spin of the electron enhances and we can theoretically do as Jesus did and greater, that was his promise) These latent capabilities found in the Indigo and Crystal children will reach it's full potential. With humans getting so powerful like i.e. you would know when somebodies lying to you because you can read his thoughts or feel what the other feels, we become very dangerous for the old boys club and the powers who want to be. This is the reason why we are being tried to be numbed down by T.V., microwave food, degraded food with no nutritional values, vaccinations, frequency manipulation via ELF, mobile phones etc.

- If and how many will be brought to Mars or killed here or even the best case scenario where we would use all that black ops technology to cure ourselves and the planet is totally up to us as a whole. Our everyday consciousness and stance on how to act for or against our bodies and minds will make the difference. So I hope this was not all gibberish to you and you will do your own homework and find the right conclusions for you.

In truth, the Mayans predicted very little about 2012. They identified a calendar date and linked it with change. That is all. And when one reads the fine print of the Mayan cosmology, it is clear that the prophesized change was sociological, not geological.

They predicted very little about 2012... that we know of. After all, countless rolls of codex were burned by the idiot priests after the Spanish conquest. Could it be that the Mayans believed the end of a natural time cycle would bring about terrible cataclysms? It's possible; after all, that's how the Aztecs understood the end of cycles, as portrayed in the prophecy of the 5th sun and the destruction of previous humanities.

But let's leave all that aside...

In the end, I believe the big commercial success of 2012 comes from the fact that we, like the Romans, always like to think about the ending of our world *only* to justify our consumerism. "Let's all drink & feast, for tomorrow we will die." I bet the banks are right now the ones more grateful with Emmerich.

Because what truly bugs me the most is that there could be a really fruitful experiment using the 2012 meme, in trying to make people consider not only their mortal death, but the ending of their way of life. It could help people think about what's really important in life: could I be happy *without* my Xbox and my cell phone? Would life be worth living if I hand't have an automobile?

That's what interest me when I'm confronted with movies like 2012.

And yes: I am planning to watch it ;-)

—

It's not the depth of the rabbit hole that bugs me...
It's all the rabbit SH*T you stumble over on your way down!!!

Bio: Philip Coppens is an author and investigative journalist, ranging from the world of politics to ancient history and mystery. He co-hosts The Spirit Revolution radio show with his wife Kathleen McGowan and is a frequent contributor to NEXUS Magazine and Atlantis Rising Magazine. Since 1995, he has lectured extensively and has appeared in a number of television and DVD documentaries, including Ancient Aliens: The Series (The History Channel). He is the author of nine English-language books, including The Stone Puzzle of Rosslyn Chapel, The New Pyramid Age, Servants of the Grail, Killing Kennedy, The Ancient Alien Question and The Lost Civilization Enigma.